Writing machine



April 28, 1931. (jw- I 1,802,921

WRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1926 BY 4W Patented Apr. 28, 1931 HIBSCE L6W-VOGEL, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA WRITING MAGHIN E Application filed December 18, 1926. Serial No. 155,572.

This invention relates to writing machines particularly short hand typewriters and has for its principal object to provide a greatly simplified construction thereof the operations of which will be greatly facilitated and the cost of manufacture of which will be reduced to a minimum. I 1 A further object is to provide a writing machine with only ten key-controlled type bars so arrangedthat the keys thereof will be in alignment with the natural position of the ten fingers of the writers hands when held side by side in writing position, thereby saving time generally consumed in changing from one key to another on the hitherto used machines.

WVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the improved construction, combination and arrangement of parts :0 as will be hereinafter described and defined in the appended claims. v

In the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and in which simiv lar reference charactersdenote corresponding parts Fig.1. is a top plan view of my improved writing machine; Fig. 2 an enlarged vertical section on line 2- -2 of Fig. 1; and Figs. 3 and 4: sectional views of the paper support shifting mechanism and of one of the type bars in two different positions.

In the drawing 10 denotes the usual frame of the type-writing machine and 11 the paper supporting roller. 13 denote the keys for controlling the hooked type bearing bars 14 :5 which are pivoted at 14 in the frame10 and engagedand operated in usual manner by means of the key-carrying angle levers 15' pivoted at 15 in the machine. There are only ten type bearing bars, each carrying at least three types or characters 16, arranged in a longitudinal row and'there is a key 13 for each individual type bar 14. The. keys are distributed on the keyboard in the manner shown in Fig. 1, so that they will be in 5 alignment with the natural position of the ten fingers of the writers hands when held side by side inzwriting position. The ten keys thus corresponding in position with that of the ten fingers of the writer and each key 6 is adapted to be operated only by. one of the 14 in the aforedescribed manner, the letters,

corresponding fingers, i. e. the keys 13. at the extreme outer ends .of the keyboard will be controlled by the small fingers,.the lowermost keys at the extreme inner ends/of the key-' board by the thumbs, and so forth.

The carriage 12 is in form of a U shaped frame, the rear ends of which are formed with bearings for the journals 11 of the roller 11. The carriage 12 iss'hiftable to at least two difierent positions from itsrnormal position in order to allow of they printing with any one of three characters 16. on each 'individual type bar 14. To this end the carriage is provided with a downwardly projecting grooved member 17, serving for the engagement of the shifting mechanism.- This mechanism comprises a T shaped rocking lever 18 v fulcrumed at 18 in theframe of the machine and vof which the longitudinal arm 18 with its free end is adapted to constantly engage the groove 17 of the member 17, Each of two transversal arms 18 18 is connected by links 19, 19 to. key controlled levers 19,

vidual type bar 14 is operated the middle character 16 will be printed.

-Whcn it is desired to printanother charac ter on the same type bar 14, say the upper one, the corresponding key 13 is struck, whereby the T shaped arm 18 will be tilted to shift the carriage forwardly from its normal position.

When itis desired to print with the lower type 16 of the same bar the other key 13 is. struck whereby the arm18 of the; T-lever will be tilted into the opposite direction shifting the carriage rearwardly from its normal position.

The twenty six letters'of the English alphabet .togetherwi-th four additional characters for punctuation are distributed on the bars ferent colors, I provide amulti-colored ribbon B. To this end the ribbon R composed 'say of parallel black and red stripes is supported in a guide member 21 and is carried by two horizontally disposed reels 20 mounted in a vertically movable part 12 of the carriage 12. Theguide member is: integral with said movable part 12 and projects rearwardly therefrom terminating close to the roller 11. The vertically movable part 12 is adapted to be controlled from either one of two keys 13, 13", one near each end of the keyboard, and is operated through rods or links '23 connected to levers 24 controlled from said keys 13, 13. The rods or links 23 engage 2 2 provided in members 22 projecting downwardly from the ends of the movable part 12 of the carriage. On the depression of either one of the keys 13, 13 the vertically movable part 12 of the carriage will raise or lower the ribbon to present either one of the colored stripes to the type to be printed.

The keys 13, 13, are arranged in proximity to the keys .13 to be controlled by the small fingers or ring fingers, so that the shifting of the ribbon can be conveniently manipulated by either one of these fingers without chang-.

ing the position of the hands.

Space bars 25 are arranged in proximity to the thumb controlled keys.

It will be seen that the operation of a machine of the construction described does not require much skill. It will only be necessary for the user to memorize the particular letters, punctuation signs and ciphers each finger is to be used for, as the location of his two hands and his ten fingers remains unchanged during the entire period of writing.

Owlng to the particular arrangement of the keyboard, my new typewriter can be used by a blind person, as he will not need to c ange his fingers from one key to another.

What I claim is In a writing machine, a keyboard composed of ten character keys so distributed as to be in alignment with the fingers of the writers hands when held side by side in natural writing position, type bars controlled by said keys, each bar bearing at least three types arranged longitudinally thereof, a paper supportin means capable of being shifted horizontal y to two different positions from its normal means, including a swing lever engaging said first named means and key controlled bars operativelg connected to said swing lever for changing t e position of said first named means relative to the type of each individual type bar, a shiftable multi-colored inking means for selectively printing the types in difierent colors and means for actuating said Leoaeei HIRSOH LGW-VOGEL. 

